binsider

binsider [options] [file...]

binsider is a terminal user interface for performing both static and dynamic analysis of ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) binary files. It combines the functionality of several standard Unix utilities into a single interactive interface, acting as a swiss army knife for reverse engineers.
The general analysis tab displays file metadata such as size, ownership, permissions, and timestamps (similar to stat), as well as linked shared libraries (similar to ldd). Selecting a shared library allows recursive analysis of its dependencies.
The static analysis tab examines the ELF structure without executing the binary, displaying file headers, notes, program headers, section headers, symbols, dynamic symbols, dynamic linking information, and relocations (similar to readelf).
The dynamic analysis tab executes the binary while tracing system calls and signals (similar to strace and ltrace), showing process IDs, call arguments, and return values. An execution summary provides timing data, call frequency, and error counts. This feature is powered by the lurk tracing library.
The strings tab extracts embedded strings from the binary (similar to strings), useful for discovering URLs, credentials, or other sensitive data. The minimum string length can be adjusted interactively with +/- keys or via the -n flag.
The hexdump tab provides a structured hex viewer with a rich dashboard. It supports keyboard-driven navigation, searching, jumping to specific byte offsets, and direct hex editing with the ability to save modifications back to the file. This feature is powered by the heh hex editor.
Built with Rust and the Ratatui TUI framework, binsider uses keyboard-driven navigation throughout. Tabs are switched with Tab/Shift+Tab, items navigated with h/j/k/l or arrow keys, and searches initiated with the forward slash key.

-n, --min-len value

Minimum length of strings to extract (default: 15)

The initial application tab to open (default: general)

Accent color of the application

Display help information

Display version information

Dynamic analysis requires executing the target binary and is only available on Linux. Hex editing modifies the binary in-place, so backups should be made before saving changes. The file must be opened in read-write mode for editing to work. ELF analysis features are specific to the ELF format and do not apply to other binary formats such as PE or Mach-O.

binsider was created by Orhun Parmaksiz and first released in September 2024. It is written in Rust and dual-licensed under the Apache License 2.0 and MIT License. The project is hosted on GitHub and continues active development, with its website and documentation at https://binsider.dev.

readelf(1), strace(1), ltrace(1), strings(1), ldd(1), objdump(1), hexdump(1), stat(1)